Five days ago, Sprint announced that the Ice Cream Sandwich OTA was finally ready for the Nexus S 4G, but many of you still haven't received the update prompt. Yesterday, Google released the full OS image for the NS4G, but installing it does a full wipe, which may not be ideal for those just itching to upgrade.

Fortunately, the OTA link on Google's servers was finally found today by a number of AC forum members, which means you no longer have to wait for Sprint/Google and instead update your Nexus on your own. Since the OTA file contains the full OS image, including recovery and radio, rather than an incremental update from a specific version, you should be able to update no matter what you're currently running on your phone (feel free to point out otherwise in the comments).

Comments

If anyone goes through the update successfully, please report. I'm itching to do this, since my NS4G is still stuck in the stone age.

Kalium

I did it. Took a few minutes, worked like a charm.

Andy

Success! Have not played around yet but looks legit so far.

Turn phone on WHILE holding UP VOLUME to get to recovery mode

Vance

It Works!!!! Just did it. Follow the steps and you'll be fine.

pleather

Do you think that those of us who couldn't wait and used Odin to put the leaked IMM76D on should re-update? - The screen shot looks like it has the same baseband and kernal... but I never know which is prefered for future updates.

Possibly the opposite: Since the ICS bootloader appears to be broken, installing any version of ICS may prevent you from installing any further updates via this method. But what can ya do? :)

I'm still stuck on 4.0.3 on my GSM Nexus S, waiting a possibly infinite amount of time for the OTA update to reach my phone via whatever mysterious method is used by Google and or my carrier (who I'm not sure are even aware I have a Nexus S which needs updating) to decide when/if that happens. :(

Unless someone's found a solution to this problem which doesn't involve wiping the whole phone?

(Download & install manually as soon as an update is available, rather than waiting for OTA.)

It's true, OTA still works eventually (and just did for my phone, which was a nice coincidence!).

Josh

definitely works!!! everyone try this if your to impatient (im thinking everyone one of us by now is) everything is ok , a bit laggy at first but understandable, I love ICS:)

Flatlinebb

I pulled the trigger and manually updated. All my data and apps are intact and I'm exploring it right now, checking out new stuff.

mavis

does dis new update wipe the one clean back to factory setting

Travis

Does the kernel version stay the same as in the picture

SQ609

Well Damn! Everyone is getting some ICS 4.0.4 love but VZW. WTF is up with that Verizon??? Come on Google and Verizon... Get it the f*#k together. Anyone have any idea when this is coming to VZW? Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Sanjeev

Tried and got a "status 7" error when it tried to install. Anyone have some advice? Thanks.

So just save it as "update" - Windows will append .zip. Or use a proper file manager like Total Commander.

Tim

Just updated and so excited to finally have ICS. I've been waiting patiently for the OTA update but my wife got it last night so I couldn't wait any longer!!! Just a note on the instructions: at step 6 I had to select something like "install update from sdcard" and THEN I had to select the file (update.zip). Everything else worked great! Exploring ICS now!

George

I'd like to add, I used the method above to update. Nothing but problems for me after. I then rooted, kept saying Superuser wasn't installed/wasn't allowing permission for anything. I then installed Clockworkmod Recovery (standard AND touch, separately of course) and it would work a time or two then revert to the stock Android recovery.

I spent like 2 hours just messing around with it.

Finally, I just locked my bootloader again (while on the OTA ICS). Then unlocked it, flashed Clockworkmod Touch Recovery. Then just went back to my original leaked official ICS zip. Been smooth sailing since and my Clockworkmod Recovery hasn't disappeared randomly either.

Maybe it was just me, but I've been hacking phones for quite some time and this was really unusual. Just wanted to share this in case anyone else has similar problems.

Aboljamajem

have, same problem, but hate to lock back my bootloader, since phone will wipe all data if i need to tweak anything layer, have clockworkmod recovery and fastboot ready on my pcif i need to do anything, it only takes 3mn.